Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 4 February 2025.

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 February 2025, were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Councillors are reminded of the need to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests that relate to business on the agenda and which have not already been included in the register of interests, before any discussion takes place on the item. Unless the interest is sensitive, you must also disclose the nature of the interest. In accordance with the Council's Code of Conduct, you must then leave the room and must not participate in any further discussion of the item.  Councillors requiring clarification should seek the advice of the Monitoring Officer prior to the day of the meeting.

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests were made.

To receive questions relating to items on the Agenda from members of the public and responses thereto.

Details of questions should be notified to the Democratic Services Manager by 10.00am at least three working days prior to the meeting. Further information about speaking at a committee can be found here: Speaking at a Committee

No questions from members of the public were received.

To nominate the Lord Mayor Elect and the Deputy Lord Mayor Elect for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.

Agreed:

RESOLVED that Councillor Jobson be nominated as Lord Mayor Elect for the 2025/26 Municipal Year and that Councillor Rolstone be nominated as the Deputy Lord Mayor Elect for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.

Reason for Decision: As agreed at the meeting.

The Leader proposed, and the Deputy Leader & Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services and City Centre seconded, that Councillor Anne Jobson be nominated as Lord Mayor Elect for the 2025/26 Municipal Council year, and that Councillor Gemma Rolstone be nominated as the Deputy Lord Mayor Elect for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED that Councillor Jobson be nominated as Lord Mayor Elect for the 2025/26 Municipal Year and that Councillor Rolstone be nominated as the Deputy Lord Mayor Elect for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.

To consider the report of the Scrutiny Programme Board.

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council receive the Annual Scrutiny Report 2023/24.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report which provided an annual update of the scrutiny work achieved during the year 2023/24. The report had been presented to both the Strategic Scrutiny Committee and Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee and the minute extracts of those meetings were attached to the report.

Councillor M. Williams as Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Board was in attendance to present the report and made the following points:-

·         the report was a part of the work to align the Scrutiny Programme with the municipal year rather than the calendar year to avoid discrepancies;

·         there had been an improvement to the scrutiny process through cross party working, with ongoing improvements being addressed;

·         the annual report was being developed to focus on the impact of scrutiny rather than just listing items; and

·         thanks were made to the officers and Members involved with preparing the report and the suggestions made to improve it.

During the discussion, Executive Members raised the following points and questions:-

·         the collaborative cross-party nature of the scrutiny process was praised;

·         the chance for the Executive to also feedback to scrutiny was welcomed;

·         the clarity on timing issues and improvements made to the scrutiny process was welcomed; and

·         what sort of measures were considered for the impact of work, notably to leisure services?

An opposition group leader raised the following points and questions:

·         Scrutiny was an important function which provided a great opportunity for discussion and improvement;

·         continued improvement in the collaboration between Scrutiny and the Executive was welcomed; and

·         the idea of broadcasting scrutiny meetings would be a great opportunity for further discussion.

In response to questions and points raised by Members, the Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Board advised:-

·         the thanks of the Executive was welcomed and further thanks were made to the Chairs and Deputy Chairs of Scrutiny for their hard work in improving scrutiny; and

·         metrics and measures were still being worked through as part of the work of the Scrutiny Programme Board, but it was a goal to reflect on the impacts of scrutiny.

The Deputy Leader & Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services and City Centre

addressed the question of filming scrutiny meetings, and advised there were ongoing efforts to integrate new AV technology and how this would be resourced by relevant teams.

The Leader moved the recommendations, which were seconded by Councillor Wright, voted upon, and CARRIED unanimously.

RECOMMENDED that Council receive the Annual Scrutiny Report 2023/24.

To consider the report of the Strategic Director for Corporate Resources.

Agreed:

RESOLVED that the amendment of the Parking Places order proceed with the following:

·         reducing Sunday city centre car park charging by 25% for Central, Zone 1 and Zone 2 car parks;

·         the re-introduction of 1hr (£2.00) parking for city centre car parks located in Zone 2;

·         amending the opening and closing hours at the John Lewis car park to 8.00am - midnight;

·         the additional of the following new car parks to the Parking Places Order:

• Central Zone: Paris Street Car Park (Old Bus Station site); and
• Zone 3: Riverside Leisure Centre.

·         changing the cost of seasonal, residential, and business parking permits as set out in the report presented at the meeting;

·         increasing the cost to purchase a seasonal, residential, and business parking permit by 5%;

·         to increase the fee to purchase a discounted business and residential parking permits for existing permit holders, for the next 4 years, as agreed in the Parking Tariffs 2023 (as reported to the Executive on 7 February 2023); and

·         to increase the cost for new permit holders by 5% for the purchase of a permit.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report which provided the outcome of the public consultation for the 2024 Parking Places Order. Particular reference was made to:-

·         the main change from the original proposal was no increase in parking charges for the 2024 Parking Places Order;

·         the proposals focussed on addressing difficult trading conditions within the city centre;

·         the proposals looked at reducing Sunday parking charges by 25% in central zone 1, and zone 2 car parks to encourage visitors and shoppers on Sundays, to reduce congestion and peak usage on a Saturday;

·         re-introducing one-hour parking in zone 2 city centre car parks, following strong support from the public consultation and supported the business community;

·         the John Lewis Multi-Storey car park opening and closing hours were proposed to be amended to 8am-midnight, following strong feedback to support the evening and night-time economy;

·         two new car parks would be added to the Parking Places Order – the Riverside Leisure Centre and a temporary city centre car park. This introduction would ensure the Riverside Leisure Centre car park was used by its intended customers and to support parking transition following the closure of Mary Archer's car park; and

·         changes to seasonal residential and business would take approximately six weeks, with more significant works for the Riverside Leisure Centre and a temporary bus station car park taking longer.

During the discussion, Executive Members raised the following points and questions:-

·         there were concerns about the misuse of Pinhoe Railway Station and Riverside Leisure Centre car parks and whether these could be enforced as part of the Parking Places Order? and

·         further information on the modelling used to determine the parking usage between Saturdays and Sundays to predict the impact on congestion?

An opposition group leader raised the following points and questions:

·         how did the report align with the Council’s corporate plan objectives?

·         there was concern about the financial implications and impact to Net Zero?

·         the recommendations did not show any commitment to how building a new car park would fund Net Zero work;

·         what were the costs for setting up a new car park and what its income would be? and

·         what would the costs be relating to the Net Zero work and would the car park be temporary until 2030?

The Leader advised that the points and questions raised were quite detailed and requested that the questions be submitted to him for response. The questions and responses will follow and be appended to the minutes.

In response to questions and points raised by Members, the Head of Service - City Centre and Net Zero advised that:-

·         the Pinhoe Railway Station was not part of the Parking Places Order and therefore misuse could not be enforced;

·         the Exeter Leisure members would receive a permit to park  and non-members would be required to pay; and

·         modelling had been undertaken for parking use; however, the exact impact was challenging to predict, adjustments had been made to the income targets accordingly.

The Leader moved the recommendations, which were seconded by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.